New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-30

source, spreads onQ rcpeabS lscil, nOr tc alaouiio
of evil which persevcring malignity can accom-
plish.
At length one day the crash came. "A firm who
owed Thompson q considerable sum failed just be-
fore the day for paying him. The poor man had
bills TO meet next week and he had been relying
on this very sum to enable him to take them up
lie applied to his bankers to help HMM vain he
tried one old friend after another-it was quite
useless. Poor Thompsons bills were dishonored
and in month he adJudicated bankrupt
| The comfortable establishment at Blackheath
was broken up all the household goods-the glrls
| piano, the old mans easy chair the pictures, The
very spoons and forks seized and sold. lherc
were no friends at hand to buy in some OF inc Iur
niture and help the disconsOlate family TO make u
fresh start. They went and hid themselves IN
| lodgings In d mean street In the region Vi OPPci
! Holloway.
To complete the distress Of the family, Iom'
who was the only of Them who was earning
ANYTHING substantial suddenly lost his situation.
Kate found some work rs n daily goveneSs, put
her salary went but little way in keeping the
wolf from the door.
| As the old man. now looking scedy and thread
bare, was returning homeward along Cheapslde
| one bitter November day after an unsuccessful
| attempt to obtain employment as a bookkeeper
| he met Mr. Brandt face to face An angry CLEAN
| came into the banluu2ts eyes for he could not
| help entertaining feeling that the German had
had a hand in his misfortunes-certainly they had
| begun shortly after the time when he had expelled
| the banker from his house. But Brandt came UP
| to him, fat hourishing and smiling, and held out
his hand.
| "Mr. Thompson-my old fiend-I was so sorry
to hear OF your msfOrtunes." He took the broken
down merchants unressting hand and pressed IL
as he spoke. Il would have sought you out and
| offered my sympathy sooner, but l feared you
might think it an intrusion, as we were not on
very good terms when we last parted-eh? But
let bygones be bygones, as your fine English prov
| erb says. Here is O restaurant. Have you had
| lunchp What do you say to have chop and u
| glass OF sherry together, for old times sake p
The poor old man hungry and he consented.
"Now tell me what can do for YOU" said the
| German when Thompson had finished the most
comfortable meal he had had for many q day.
| "Tell me how you arc all getting on"
Very badly-all Of us. Tom has lost his stu
| alton"
"Ah, sob Well we must find him another
one. And my old friend Sees Kate-how is she p
"Shes tolerably well that IS. she's not strong
| and works too hard"
"Ver sorry; YER sad" said the German but his
lace d1d not betoken any very great grief at the
| intelligence.
A little moro conversation passed between the
| two men and then they parted, Thompson giving
his wealthy friend his new address, and the latter
| assuring him that he would do his best to find q
| berth for Mr.. IOm," and that he would write or
call as soon as he had any good news 30 communi-
| cate The old man went home inclined TO think
that the banker was, after ALL "a good sort,
| and oOngratulating himself on having found O
| friend In his time of need
| week had hardly elapsed from the time Of
this fortunate meeting, when the banker pre-
sented himself ut No. 90 Battenberg Terrace
Upper Holloway. Hates cheeks flushed as she
| gave him her hand, and the German thought and
rightly that she looked quite beautiful in her
cheap merino frock and imitation lace collar as she
had done in an expensive costume In the days
of her fathers prosperity
He said very little to her. turning his attention
chiefly 10 her father. lie was the bearer OF good
news. He had used his influence successfully with
gentleman whom he knew-a director Of an
Indian lea COmpany-and he was able to offer
Tom post on a tea plantation In India. IL was
not very much, but better than nothing perhaps
and 1t was beginning. or course the offer
was gratefully accepted behalf of the young
man, who happened to be out that evening: and
afber somewhat prolonged stay in the shabby
little little sttingroom, the banker took his de-
parture There something in his manner
composed as IL was, he shook hands with
Kate that told the girl that he had not forgotten
the events OF the previous year-that he still
in heart her lover.
After this Mr. Brandt became q pretty FREQUENT
visitor ut Battenberg Terrace, and In various
ways he contrived to make himself agreeable to
| the disconsolate family. Thompson happened TO
be O member OF the Honorable Company OF Buckle
Makers. friend of Brandt's, who was a master
Buckle Maker. represented his case 10 the board
and after q little delay, the decayed merchant
found himself a neutrality-suspicious. OF the company
with an annuity OF fifty guneas. Several times
| 1t happened that dramatic critics or managers
| friends OF Mr.. Brandt. presented him with box
tickets for various theatres and on these Or
casions Mr.. Brandt always insisted that his good
I friends the Thompsons should be present at the
entertainment. Hates little sisters wcro made
| happy by Christmas presents far exceeding their
| utmost expectations.
BY degrees the German rcgaincd n friendly foot
ing In the family circle and yet lac could not be
| sure that Kate regarded him with more favor than
she formerly did. She was always polite To him.
but always cold and distant. In spite of this the
German determined TO delay no LONGER. lie was
madly IN love with her-a hundred times more in
love than he had been when he had proposed to
her the first time. And he thought that in spite
Of the girls evident COldness he had now. good
prospects of success.
This time he said nothing to her father. lie
watched his opportunity when the old man was
out OF thc way, and pleaded his cause earnestly
but respectfully enough He said nothing about
the strength OF his passion: he did not refer in
any way TO his previous offer. Nor did le alludc
to the benefits he had conferred upon the family
| lie limited that he could offer her a home that
would be moro than comfortable, and that by ac-
| ceptiAs him she would be aching the part Of d
8ood daughter and securing her sisters future
Kate heard him TO the end looking him ST raipbt
in the face oil the time. The German did mob like
That straightforward gaze it looked as If the girl
had not forgotten the past. and meant 10 reject
Illh' puO nc pore u uhilnChingiy and waited for
his answer.
At length it came-shc accepted him,
The German could hardly suppress a cry of
emulation as he spranS TO his feet and approached
the beautiful girl who had just promised 10 be his
wife.
"Hush do sit down Mr.. Brandt she said
rising and retrealing TO the door. IL hear mana
coming"
Mr. Thompson did, in fact, come in at that
moment, and Kate escaped to her bedroom. Icav-
Ing her lover to tell the news TO her father.
The banker left Battenberg Terrace that evening
In whrl Of excitement and savage delght IUs
triumph was complete. That lovely form. that
peerless creature, was to be his own AT last at